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John Landis Advised Max Landis Against American Werewolf Remake

John Landis, the writer/director of An American Werewolf In London, tried to advise his son Max not to script the forthcoming remake. The original movie is considered a classic in the horror/comedy genre, managing to balance terrifying sequences with genuinely funny moments. It also won an Oscar for Rick Baker’s makeup effects, which hold up to this day.

Talk of An American Werewolf In London remake has been floating around since 2009, but it was only when Max Landis signed on in 2016 that the project seemed to move forward. Max Landis himself is a well-known screenwriter, producer and director and is probably best known for his Chronicle screenplay. Having Landis reinvent a concept his father John originated got people curious about the project, though fans of the original remain sceptical.

Sadly for Max that includes his father too, who revealed during an interview with Collider (to discuss Thriller 3D) that he tried to talk his son out of taking the job:

Truthfully, I’ve not seen his script. I advised him not to do it. I think he’s putting himself in a bad position. My son is brilliant, he really is, and he wants to do it. So what am I going to say? No? I know it won’t be as bad as An American Werewolf In Paris, which was s**t. So, I don’t know. He’s a great writer.

During his last update on the project, Max Landis revealed the script is still being written and that he plans to direct the remake himself. He’ll face an uphill struggle to top the balance of humor and horror that the original film pulled off so beautifully. It’s understandable his father advised against it, because in any comparison between the original and this new take, the remake is unlikely to come out on top. The transformation scene alone is iconic and it’s doubtful a CGI alternative would come close to matching its impact. But like John Landis said, at the very least the remake should be better than the sequel.

Since An American Werewolf In London is a Universal property, there have been rumblings the new take could have ties to the Dark Universe. While Landis has acknowledged this link, he hasn’t confirmed if this is the plan - and considering the disappointing critical performance of The Mummy, Universal may not be keen on linking the movies anymore.